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54 S T U F F • F a l l 2 0 1 6 Worcester Technical High School Worcester Technical High School: Preparing the Next Generation I n 2006, Worcester Technical High School (WTHS), a new $90 million educational institution, opened its doors and quickly became the city's latest gem, a shining star in both the academic and business worlds. During the last ten years, WTHS has earned awards from several national sources, including the Harvard Initiative, which named WTHS one of 15 outstanding public schools in the country in 2009. The SME Education Foundation also designated WTHS as an SME Prime School, which enables the institution to upgrade equipment and enhance its manufacturing possibilities. Only 52 schools in the country have earned this designation. Worcester Technical High School Address: 1 Skyline Dr., Worcester, MA 01605 Phone: (508) 799-1940 Principal: Kyle Brenner District: Worcester Public School System Number of students: 1,400 Founded: 1910 Lowest grade: Ninth grade WTHS offers coursework in 23 different trades and four academies: Alden Design and Engineering; Allied Health and Human Services; Coghlin Construction Academy; and Information Technology and Business Services, according to Principal Kyle Brenner. "Our students have unlimited possibilities when they attend WTHS," he says. "While job preparation is the focal point of the school, a good percentage of students also pursue higher education." Students not only gain valuable lessons in the classroom, but also have an opportunity to put their acquired skills into practice through community projects. "Students from WTHS constructed the Myra Hiatt Kraft Memorial Footbridge. They also created a World War I commemorative coin and manufacture the key to the city," Brenner says. "These projects instill in students a sense that they are an important part of a much bigger picture. It goes beyond just the construction of a Habitat home." Welding: Steven Moisan, junior Robotics: Nicholas Roy, junior Robotics Andrew Shanaj, junior AT A GLANCE: